Recording of Presentations and Q&A

3:45 Replace Your Ride

9:25 Future of Rural Transit

15:40 Fare-Free Transit

22:00 Vehicle Feebate

29:00 Q&A

“Vermont Replace Your Ride Program” 

  • Presented by: Sue Minter (Capstone); Linda McGinnis (EAN Senior Fellow)
  • Summary: Low-income and rural Vermonters face higher transportation costs in terms of share of household income and vehicle miles travelled. They often can’t afford to replace older vehicles that are both higher polluting and require more maintenance. In the wake of COVID-19, transportation will play a critical role in getting people back to school, services and work. We have an opportunity to build a more affordable and cleaner transportation sector for the long term, but without direct assistance, disadvantaged Vermonters risk being left behind from the start. Vermont Replace Your Ride provides cash incentives to disadvantaged Vermonters to trade in their older high-polluting vehicles for a range of clean transportation and shared-mobility options. The highest incentive amount will be allocated to participants with the lowest income, living in a disadvantaged community (highly inaccessible to public transit), and choosing the cleanest vehicle technology. Incentives can be stacked on top of other EV and EV Charger incentives.
  • Read Full Pitch Proposal

“The Future of Rural Transit: Combining and Electrifying School and Public Transportation” 

  • Presented by: Cara Robechek (VEEP); Jenn Wallace-Brodeur (VEIC);  Jenn Wood (GMT); Peggy O’Neill-Vivanco (UVM – Vermont Clean Cities Coalition)
  • Summary:  We propose addressing environmental, equity, and economic challenges in transportation by combining public, medicaid, and school transportation into a single electrified public transportation system.  This project will include a detailed study looking at the opportunities and barriers of combining services, evaluating right-sizing vehicles, optimal service routes, and fleet sizes, while drawing from what Vermont and other states are learning about fleet electrification. It will also include a demonstration pilot deploying small electric (cut-away) buses to serve 1 or 2 rural school systems and surrounding communities, incorporating managed charging to increase local resiliency.
  • Read Full Pitch Proposal

“Statewide, State-Funded Fare-Free Transit” 

  • Presented by: Jack Hanson (Sustainable Transportation VT); Chris Harrell (UVM)
  • Summary: To increase equity, ridership, improve operations, and allow for social distancing, the State should provide additional funding to transit agencies to eliminate the need for those transit providers to charge fares. This cost is currently shouldered entirely by bus riders, who are disproportionately people of color and low-income Vermonters, and who are contributing less to the climate crisis in their transportation habits. By shifting this cost burden into the State budget, we are supporting vulnerable Vermonters while attacking the climate crisis.
  • Read Full Pitch Proposal

“A Vehicle Feebate Program for Vermont”

  • Presented by: Senator Andrew Perchlik
  • Summary: Provide Vermonters that are buying a new vehicle a rebate if the vehicle has a rated MPG above average for its vehicle class, and include a fee on the purchase if it has a rated MPG below the average.
  • Read Full Pitch Proposal